Food Production: Is there a danger in the foods we Eat?

Many people don’t realize the amount of, or the danger of, food additives that are put into the substances we consume daily. The food industry has made a fortune, by producing foods that last longer, and look better, at the cost of our health. The food manufacturers have found ways to allow potentially unhealthy substances into our foods for the very reason of making a profit. By exploring the different views of the effects from these substances, the question of whether the use of food additives should be acceptable is answered.
Food additives have been used for centuries. There have been reports of food additive uses dating as far back as pre-historic man. Research has shown evidence of chemicals used in meats, and later adding salt to fish to preserve it longer. This doesn’t mean they were healthier back then, though. In fact the additives they used were more harmful that some today. The Romans, for example, used lead acetate as an artificial sweetener, while in the 19th century, chalk was commonly found in milk for color. Pesticides were introduced in America during the WWII Era, allowing the food producers to bring in remarkable gains, which still is true for today.
Today food manufacturers use about 2,800 natural and artificial additives in our foods. (Rowlands 16) This includes preservatives, and processing aids. They are used to sweeten, freshen, flavor, and so on. Although the effects are clear, ideas about food additives vary in many ways. There are the pros, and then there are the obvious cons. There are many positive reasons why food companies repeatedly choose to add the many substances that go into our foods. The most obvious reason is, that with the use of food additives, there is an increased shelf life of the food, allowing the company to sell more of the product while reaping more of a profit. Spoilage is less of an issue when food additives are used, because the amount of bacteria, mold and fungi are controlled. Without these food additives, the product will go bad before it even hits the shelf. For the same reason, stabilizers and preservatives allow for companies to ship our foods all over the world. The use of food additives help to increase the availability, safety, and quality of the foods we eat, and at the same time they help to keep the cost affordable. Additives help to provide the lacking nutrients in foods, therefore improving and maintaining its quality while keeping the flavors and aromas fresh. (“Chemicals and Foods” 1)
Another side of the positive effects that food additives bring us is more appearance conscious. For example, additives are used to increase the color of the foods, therefore creating a desire to be bought. They are used to provide consistency and body, allowing a more pleasing effect when eaten. (“Chemicals and Foods” 1)
A main concern of food additives today is the question of illness related to food additives. Even though there have been distinct relations to illness, there also have been different cases. For example, pasteurization has been a constant benefit of food additives. It has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of tuberculosis related with drinking milk. Research has also shown that less than one percent of cancers have been caused by the use of food additives. (Fountain 34)
Clearly there are considerable amounts of excuses for the use of additives, but there are many negative consequences that should be realized. Food additives have been linked with many illnesses, which have failed to come to the public eye. There have been direct links to various physical and mental disorders, as well as hyperactivity in children. A recent discovery has linked the effects of these additives to the womb. (“The Adverse Efects of Food additives on Health” 12) Just as tobacco or alcohol uses can have horrid effects on a pre-mature fetus, they have now found that additives also can have these same effects. This can lead to tumor development in the fetus, if not worse. Even “natural” additives can have the same side-effects. Some of these additives, such as the vitamin C, or other wise known as “ascorbic acid” that is often found in an orange, is actually identical to that which is produced in a lab. There are endless concerns about food additives, another being the concern of loss of nutrients in the food, which can even result in malnutrition.
There are many types of food additives that end up in the food we eat. They all vary in the process or the reason for it being added, but do they have equal effects? A major Additive that is used every day is the chemical. Chemicals are widely used, for the purpose of preserving and protecting the foods from bacteria and fungi. Nitrates are used to protect the foods from spoilage, extending the shelf life, and keeping the food looking fresh. As this sounds useful, there is another side to this “necessary” chemical. Nitrates react with certain amines, with this reaction, the food is preserved. If the chemicals that they produced are consumed in high amounts, it could cause cancer. This doesn’t seem very acceptable, as most foods contain nitrates. (Rowlands 16)
Chemicals can have a major effect on our health in general. Even the containers that foods are stored in contain chemicals that can leak into our foods and become carcinogenic. “Man-made industrial chemicals and pesticides may tamper with the molecules in the body’s regulatory system, possibly causing birth defects, low sperm counts, breast cancer, mental impairment, and several other ailments.” (Cushman A14) Even the simplest sweeteners are very dangerous. For example, “saccharin” which is widely used as a sweetener, has been proven to cause cancer, and even “congenital malformations” caused by the mutagenic qualities it holds. Aspartame, a common sweetener in most diet drinks, and all gum, has been studied also. Research has proven that it “breaks down in the body into byproducts that may include formaldehyde and formic acid” (an acid produced by ants.)(Rowlands, p. 16) But not all chemicals have even been tested. “Screening chemicals to see if they cause cancer is usually very expensive so not many natural chemicals have been subjected to the test.”(Fountain 34) In a normal cup of coffee, there are 1,000 plus chemicals, but only 26 of them have been tested, and 19 have been found to be carcinogens.(“The Adverse Effects of Food Addtiveson Health” 12) Some of these chemicals include benzene, caffeic acid, ethanol, formaldehyde and toluene.
There are definite effects of chemicals involving children also. Children tend to absorb the chemicals faster and are more highly affected than an average person. Their small bodies and high metabolism allow their systems to absorb substances faster, meaning their functions are affected at a higher risk.
Pesticides are another concern of many. Right now over 400 chemicals are allowed to be used on crops to kill weeds, insects and other pests that may attack crops. For example “non-organic apples are sprayed over 16 times with 36 different chemicals.” (Fountain 36) What is worse is that washing these fruits and vegetables does little to remove the chemical, even with peeling them. These pesticides have shown a link with serious diseases, such as male infertility, Parkinson’s disease, and even Cancer. Studies have shown that men have even shown signs of a lower testosterone level. There are organizations and companies that regulate what goes into our food. But even with all the regulations, the pesticides still show up. For example, there are chemicals that were banned a very long time ago, some decade ago, such as DDT and other pesticides, which still linger in our soil and show up regularly in residue tests.
Although pesticides are a concern, they have their purposes. When used in a careful manner, they are supposed to minimize the loss of crops and plants, and keep prices down. Some people are even worried that the government will try and restrict these pesticides too much. For example “W.E. Spencer, an Arizona Citrus farmer, predicted that if the Government restricts pesticides too much, The U.S.-similar to its dependence on foreign oil-will have to rely on foreign pesticides banned in this country to stock the produce bins and grocery aisles at the local supermarket.” Some also argue that this scenario isn’t likely, as foreign countries have to comply with the U.S. standards.
Mutagens are another widely used additive that has both it’s benefits and drawbacks. Mutagens are different from most additives as the human body does not have the metabolic space to metabolize and render them harmless. They have been proven harmful to the fetus, as it reacts with and injures the chromosomes and genes that carry its genetic code. They are also fully capable of damaging and killing the living cells. This can even result in mental retardation. Most substances that are found to be mutagenic have also been proven to have carcinogenic actions.
Antibiotics are another type of additive that is put into our foods. Antibiotics have been transformed from a simple drug into a serious additive. Every year, more than half of the antibiotics produced, about 70%, go into the agriculture business.(“Antibiotics and Food” 1) Antibiotics are injected into cows, chickens, and other factory raised livestock, to make up for the unsanitary conditions of the overcrowded feed houses and coops. They are loaded into the animals so much that it has reduced the useful lifespan of the drug by about 30%.(Suzuki 1) This misuse and lead to resistant infections in humans. The problem is that with the overuse of these drugs, the bacteria has evolved into “super drugs” that are immune to our antibiotics.
Clearly there are two sides to this question. Food additives do have a purposeful reason to be added to our foods, but it is so important that it has to be a threat to our health? There are other methods that could be used to replace these harmful substances, such as organic foods. Studies show that organic foods are not only safer, but they have higher levels of vitamins and nutrients than others. (Everybody’s going Organic, should you? 4) They even have found them to contain more of the “cancer fighting compound called Lycopene and show higher antioxidant activity than most brands.”(‘Simply Organic 1) With the use of organic foods there is a lower occurrence of disease and allergies, as well as a higher occurrence of the nutrients that are thought to slow the ageing process.
Clearly there is too much of a risk in the chemicals that we are putting into our bodies. We can not be productive and live to our fullest when our own food is pulling us down. There is definitely a need for the assurance of safety with the production of our foods. If we want to increase our health, reduce the risks of cancer, and bring our society to a healthier life, then we must change some things about the way we do things.